


Switcharound

by skybluecassowary



Category: Final Fantasy III
Genre: Fluff and Humor, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-05
Updated: 2014-11-05
Packaged: 2018-02-24 05:45:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2570339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skybluecassowary/pseuds/skybluecassowary
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Refia swears off black magic, Luneth throws a fit, Ingus takes charge and Arc discovers that he can't wear hats.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Switcharound

**Author's Note:**

  * For [partical_boi](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=partical_boi).



“How do you stand it?” he burst out at her after the battle.

Refia blinked. “Stand what?” 

“Using your magic like that. Hurting people!” 

She shrugged. “They’re not people, just monsters. Besides, it feels good.” 

“G-good?” Arc stuttered. “You think it feels good.” He had a horrified look on his face. 

She shrugged again. “Well, yeah. Don’t you enjoy it, feeling that rush of power in your veins?” She sighed dreamily. “Being able to freeze your enemies, or burn them… it’s a rush.” She sobered. “Besides, you don’t get banged around nearly as much as you would if you were a fighter or something like that, and you get to inflict just as much damage.” 

Arc gulped. “No, I’ve never felt anything like that.” 

Refia smiled like a shark. “Maybe you should try it sometime.” 

Arc blanched. “No! Never. I’d never do try it again.” He shouted. 

But she wasn’t there anymore. 

“Hey!” she shouted. “Hey, Luneth! Ingus! Arc’s got something to tell you guys.” 

Luneth looked up from sharpening his sword. “What’s he got to say?” 

Refia bounced in place. “He’s going to be the black mage for our next dungeon crawl.” 

“I’m what?!” Arc shouted. 

Luneth shrugged. “Yeah, sure, why not. If it starts to be a problem, then we can just switch you two back.” He gave Ingus a questioning glance. 

Ingus shrugged. “If it’s really what he wants, then just let him. You and I should be able to handle things until he learns the ropes as a black mage.” 

Refia clapped her hands enthusiastically. “Thanks, guys. We’ll just go get him changed.” She grabbed a spluttering Arc by the arm and dragged him off into the darkness. 

When Arc managed to regain his breath he hissed at her. “What were you thinking doing something like that?” 

She shrugged. “Looking out for you, obviously.” 

“Looking out for me!” Arc screeched. 

“Well, yeah.” She smiled. “Something has to get you out of that white mage robe of yours.” 

Arc sighed and tried to take a few deep breaths. “You think I’m in a funk, do you?” It was his turn to smirk at her. 

Refia leaned against a tree. “Well, I didn’t like to mention it, but… yeah.” 

His smile grew ever larger. “Fine. I’ll be a black mage for a month. However…” 

She never saw it coming. “However?” She asked. 

“However,” he continued, with an even larger grin. “For that same month, you’ll have to be a white mage.” 

“I’ll what?” she howled. 

Arc stopped smiling and assumed a serious expression. “You have to be a white mage.” 

“But why?” 

“Because I’m worried about you. It’s like you’re addicted to the black magic.” 

She scratched her nose. “You really think it’s that bad?” 

“Yeah, I’m afraid so. The other two are kind of worried too. Well, Ingus is,” he amended. “Luneth is just very impressed at how good you are as a black mage. I don’t think that the effect on your mind of all that destructive magic occurred to him.” 

Refia took her hat off and turned it around in her hands. Finally, she sighed. “I’m going to miss this hat.” She put it gently on the ground. 

Arc looked up quickly. “So you’ll do it?” 

Refia growled a little, and then shrugged. “Yeah, sure. What do I have to lose?” 

“Do you want to do it now, or wait until later?” 

She sucked in a breath. “It’s probably best to do it now,” she opined. “After all, if we put it off till tomorrow, I might not be able to go through with it.” 

Arc laughed. “Well, when you put it that way…” 

Refia didn’t join in, but she started to remove her gear, dropping bow, arrows and armguards into an unceremonious pile. Next, she rummaged around in her pockets for her spell pouch. After a few minutes of rummaging, she triumphantly pulled out a surprisingly large embroidered bag. 

Arc followed suit, gently placing his staves and armguards next to her cluttered pile. Finally he drew the pouch around his neck out of his robes. He very gently removed Refia’s bag of spells from her hand and gave her his. 

Refia whimpered a little, but said nothing. 

“You want to go get changed now?” Arc asked. 

She nodded, still not quite trusting her voice and went behind a tree to change. 

Arc did the same behind another tree. When he emerged, he found her already changed and kneeling among her shucked off gear. She laughed when she saw him carrying his hat under his arm. 

“You’re supposed to wear it, you know.” She remarked. 

Arc blushed slightly. “I can’t figure out how to make it look right.” 

Refia stood up, took the hat from him and placed it on his head. “It helps if the bow is in the back.” 

“Oh. How are you feeling? So far, I mean.” 

She shrugged. “So far, so good. We should probably equip the new gear now. Before the others start to worry, I mean.” 

Arc nodded. “You’re right. You should be able to equip your old gear. Most of it, anyway.” 

Refia smiled nervously. “Well, that’s something anyway.” She bent down to pick up her bow, but drew back suddenly. “It bit me!” 

Arc gave her a strange look. 

“You saw it!” Refia shouted. “Didn’t you?” 

The new black mage gave her a blank look, but comprehension dawned on him. “It’s because you’re a white mage now.” 

“So not only am I a white mage, but I’m defenseless?” She burst out. 

“Not defenseless.” Arc hastily corrected. “You can use my staves. 

Refia groaned. 

“It’s not so bad really,” Arc continued. “You get the satisfaction of healing the others. And you really won’t be defenseless. Luneth, Ingus and I will take care of you.” 

Refia growled. 

Arc held up his hands defensively. “Really! It’ll be fine; it’s just for a month! Don’t worry!” 

Refia picked up Arc’s staves and slowly started to advance. 

Arc continued to back away, finally backing into a tree as Refia finally caught up to him. 

He flinched violently as she reached for his head and grabbed his hat. 

She fiddled with it until it sat on his head to her liking, and gave him a brilliant smile. “You really should be more careful with your hat, Arc. And pick up your weapons!” She called over her shoulder as she went back towards the campfire. 

Arc slid down against the tree, trying to remember how to breathe. His hat slipped over his eyes, and he angrily threw it off. “What have I gotten myself into now? He asked the forest at large, but there was no answer. 

When he finally felt steady, he picked up Refia’s discarded gear and equipped it. Grumbling to himself about the unreliability of women in general and a certain former black mage in particular, he set off for the camp, carrying his hat in front of him like a shield. 

Ingus was on watch by the fire, poking it with a stick. He looked up as Arc approached and smiled a long, slow, approving smile. “It’s very cute, I think, but aren’t you supposed to wear the hat?” 

Arc gave him a long look without saying anything. 

Ingus tossed the stick onto the fire and stood up. He crossed over to Arc and gently removed the hat from his hands and placed it on his head, twisting it this way and that. “Refia’s right,” he concluded. “You’re not cut out to wear a hat.” 

Arc snatched the hat out of his hands and jammed it onto his own head. 

“It’s backwards, you know.” Ingus noted. 

Arc turned his back on him and stalked off to his bedroll. 

Ingus shrugged and turned back to the fire. He stared at the fire for a few minutes, biding his time. Finally, he spoke. “You do realize that you’re still wearing that hat, don’t you?” There may or may not have been a laugh in his voice. 

There was a sound as of someone tearing a large floppy hat off of his head and tossing it against a tree. 

Ingus smiled to himself and went to wake up Luneth for his turn to take watch.  
_____________________________________________________________________________  
The next morning found Refia setting up targets for Arc to practice on. “We’ll start with fire spells,” she explained. “They’re easiest to use.” 

Arc raised an eyebrow. “And what will you be doing? I’m not the only one who needs practice.” 

Ingus nodded. “That is quite correct.” 

Refia smiled. “You’ll see, after he gets started.” 

Luneth, who was sitting up a tree watching the spectacle, started to laugh. 

Refia shushed him theatrically as Ingus and Arc stared up at him. 

Ingus’s eyes widened and he started to shake his head. Finally, he said, “Well, I suppose that might work.” He clapped Arc on the shoulder. “Best get started, then.” He then scrambled out of the way and joined Luneth in his tree. 

Arc turned to Refia with a confused look on his face. 

Refia tried to hide a smile as she made one last adjustment to the position of a target. “Don’t worry about it.” She too climbed up a tree and gave Arc the okay to start. 

Arc took a deep breath and then fired off a volley of fireballs. The first one knocked Ingus out of his tree. The next set Luneth’s hair on fire, also knocking him out of the tree. The next set Arc’s hat on fire. The last bounced around the glen for a few minutes before hitting the middle target dead center. Bull’s-eye. 

Meanwhile, Refia was dashing around throwing water on the other two. When the fires were extinguished to her satisfaction, she set about casting cure spells right and left. When she had taken care of Ingus and Luneth she turned to Arc and shrieked a little. She hurriedly grabbed the last bucket of water and threw it at Arc, who ducked. 

Luneth grabbed the hat off of Arc’s head, threw it on the ground and stamped all over it, finally putting out the flames. Panting slightly, he turned to Refia with a vaguely stunned expression on his face. “Are you absolutely certain that we can’t persuade you two to switch back?” 

Refia shook her head. “I’m afraid not. We made a bet, after all.” She turned back to Arc. “Right, let’s start on lightning spells, Arc.” 

It was at this point that Ingus roused himself out of a mild faint and tackled Arc before he could start casting the spell. “NO!” He shouted. “No more! I’m sorry, but this experiment cannot be continued.” He went on in a calmer voice. 

Luneth nodded his head vigorously. “He’s right. If we keep this up, we won’t have to worry about monsters killing us. Arc will do it for them.” 

Arc suddenly felt massively indignant. “This wasn’t my idea, remember. It was hers. However, I’m not going to quit. I need a break from healing, Luneth. Besides, it could be fun inflicting damage.” 

Luneth ran his hands through what was left of his ponytail. “You want to inflict damage? Fine. You can be a red mage. Or how about a warrior? BUT NO MORE BLACK MAGIC!” He suddenly thundered. 

Arc was so startled he released the lightning spell he’d unconsciously readied. 

Luneth threw himself out of the way of the bolt and lay on the ground panting. Arc’s lighting spell had left an eight-inch crater where Luneth had been standing. 

Ingus smiled in a very strained manner. “As you can see, Arc, you’re not exactly cut out for being a black mage.” 

Arc flushed and sighed. “You’re right, but we did make a bet.” 

Luneth pushed himself into a sitting position. “What did you bet? Was it something important?” 

Arc and Refia exchanged glances Refia looked away first, stooping to pick up Arc’s battered and scorched hat. 

Arc cleared his throat carefully. “Actually, we didn’t bet anything. Just that if I became a black mage, she’d be a white mage.” 

Luneth almost fell over. “That’s it?!” he squawked. “No, forfeit or anything? Just a switch of roles? Guys, your bet is concluded.” 

“What? No!” Arc and Refia chorused. 

But Ingus was shaking his head. 

Luneth glared at him. 

Ingus sighed unhappily. “You’re not going to like this.” 

Luneth stared off into the distance. “How bad?” 

Ingus winced. “Very. It’s not a bet, Luneth. It’s a matter of honor.” 

Luneth groaned. “You’re joking.” 

Ingus didn’t respond. 

“Please tell me you’re joking?” 

Ingus still didn’t respond. 

“Damn.” Luneth turned to Arc and Refia. “You two had better hope that this works out.” He unsteadily got to his feet and walked over to the tree he’d fallen out of. He gave its branches a considering look but decided to settle down among the roots instead. 

During this exchange Arc and Refia had been trying their best to make Arc’s hat presentable. Unfortunately, between Luneth’s trampling it and Arc’s setting it on fire, there wasn’t much of a hat left. 

Refia made a small defeated sound when she realized this. 

Arc patted her on the shoulder awkwardly. “Don’t worry,” he told her. “We can get a new hat in the next town, I promise.” 

Refia sighed, ignoring him. “Luneth’s right,” she said in a small voice. 

Arc was very taken aback. “I’m sorry? I don’t think I’m hearing you right.” 

“Arc, you can’t be a black mage without a hat. It’s just not done.” 

Luneth may or may not have been observed at this point to pump his fist up in the air and shout “Yes!” 

Arc closed his eyes and started to massage his temples. 

Ingus smiled at everyone distractedly. “Really,” he said to himself, “I should have known that he couldn’t be a black mage when I saw the hat,” he sighed and continued. “Really, there’s only one thing to do about it.” He stood up. “Hey, Luneth!” 

Luneth stopped celebrating and stared at him suspiciously. “Yesssss?” 

Ingus held up a fist. “Sword, shield, spell?” 

Luneth stared at him as if he had grown a second head. “Ingus, you of all people should know better than to play childish games at a time like this.” 

Ingus rolled his eyes. “Well, it was either that or draw straws, and it’s rather hard to find straws in a forest.” 

This time everyone stared at him for a few seconds and then looked away. Refia finally ventured, “Ingus, what are you talking about?” 

Ingus flashed her a brilliant smile. “Why, I’m picking the new black mage of course.” He glanced at Luneth. “Unless you’d prefer to be it?” 

Luneth shook his head violently. “Nuh-uh. No way. I’m not gonna do that.” 

Ingus smiled faintly. “I thought not,” he shrugged. “Well, I guess it’s going to be me, then. May I have your spells, Arc?” He asked, turning to the slightly younger man. 

Arc waffled a bit, but handed them over. 

Ingus thanked him, and tossed a blizzard spell at the smoldering target- which froze instantly. 

He smiled. “This will work out quite well, I think.” He smiled at Refia. “You will of course continue as a white mage, yes?” 

Slightly unnerved, Refia found herself nodding. 

“Good. Any other objections?” 

Arc spoke out. “What am I going to do for the next month?” 

Luneth scratched his chin. “I’d like to see you in a red mage’s hat, personally.” 

Refia gave Arc a long considering look. Finally, she nodded. “That should work.” 

Ingus turned to Arc and clapped him on the shoulder. “We’d better get changed, Arc. The day is wasting away.” He grabbed his pack and disappeared behind a tree. He reemerged several minutes later wearing the regulation black robes and yellow hat- a hat which, Arc was dismayed to note, suited him perfectly. 

Refia caught his eyes and shrugged. 

Arc returned the shrug, and went off to change his clothes. He smiled slightly, thinking hopefully of a hat he could finally wear. Maybe. 

Arc returned, feeling very dashing in his feathered hat. 

Refia giggled, but stifled it when she saw how proud Arc was of his new uniform. 

Ingus nodded approvingly, while Luneth shrugged dismissively. Refia jabbed him in the ribs and glared at him. 

Luneth sighed theatrically and rubbed his side. “Not bad, Arc,” he said finally. “It looks like you’ve finally found a hat that suits you.” He smirked suddenly. “And it only took you your whole life to find it.” He flinched slightly as Arc waved his hat in his face. 

Refia stretched and turned to Ingus. “Well, that turned out all right,” she remarked. 

Ingus nodded judiciously. “Indeed it did.” 

She smiled brightly. “I couldn’t have done it without you. I was afraid he’d never stop wearing those robes.” 

“It was my pleasure. And besides,” Ingus coughed, staring at Arc. “He does look quite striking in that hat.” 

Refia started to laugh as he blushed. Ingus shrugged and joined in. They leaned against the tree in companionable silence, watching Arc and Luneth squabble.  
Finally, Refia spoke up. “You know, he really does.” 

Fin.

**Author's Note:**

> This work was originally posted by the author as Mizuiroten in the 2007 Final Fantasy Exchange.


End file.
